Letters From the Inside (11)
by lone astronomer
Summary: Was "Harry Potter Retold" until Kali ma gave me a better idea. It's an AU; James didn't die, Sirius didn't go to Azkaban, Wormtail is quite dead. I'm still on Harry's first year, but I *am* making progress... New chapter (2): Halloween to Christmas
1. Harry Potter Retold

A History of Harry Potter: Revised Edition

Wieder Erlebte

Dear Reader, 

This doesn't agree with the canon. Peter is dead, James is alive (thus, Harry has wizard friends already and very different views than he has in canon); Sirius never went to Azkaban. The title means "Lived again" in German, which I thought oddly fitting for Harry in this case. The rest of the story you can read in my profile; just follow the numbers after the titles. I don't think you'll really need it to understand this, but in case you do, there it is.

Disclaimer: Alles gehört J. K. Rowling. The letter I started off with is an excerpt from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.

Note: because this is a serious AU, I can basically do whatever I want! Therefore, don't be shocked when things go crazy or out-of-order. 

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

__

of WITCHCRAFT _and _WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

__

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, 

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted

at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please

find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no 

later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

__

Deputy Headmistress

__

August 3rd

Hi, Harry,

Did you get your Hogwarts letter yet? I got mine yesterday (you should see how jealous Ginny is). Do you want to meet in Diagon Alley the 27th? I'm going to try to sneak off for a bit, maybe take a few steps down Knockturn Alley, just to see what's there.

Ginny heard a story about you on the wizarding wireless yesterday. She still hasn't shut up about it. Girls.

Anyway, use Errol to send your reply. Your dad's owl doesn't get along with Ginny's cat.

Ron

August 4th 

Ron,

I can't meet you in Diagon Alley. Dad's too busy to take me and he won't let me take the Floo to public places anymore. I think he thinks I'm going to get lost again or something. Ditto for Clara. One of Dad's old friends is bringing me around to get my school things (he works at Hogwarts).

Tell Ginny I said hi.

Errol's a useless lump of feathers, you said so yourself. But far be it for me to disturb- what's her name? Orangeade? Your sister is off her nut.

Harry

August 6th

Hey Harry,

Where do you get off making fun of my sister, scar-head? And the cat's name is Marmalade, not Orangeade, as well you know. At least she hasn't named the chickens yet.

I guess I'll see you at King's Cross on September first. 

Tell your dad to stop working so hard.

Ron

August 7th

Ickle Ronniekins,

Boy, I'm in a foul mood. Clara and Dad are being disgustingly gushy. They think I don't notice, but I do. Dad brought her flowers for her birthday, and she's still wearing some them in her hair. And they keep making kissy-faces at each other when they think I'm not looking. It's put me off my food. Gross. I've had to take refuge in my room.

I'm afraid to tell my dad to stop working so hard. He's the Minister of Magic, for Merlin's sake! I don't want_ the government to fall apart. He did take today off though, but I'm starting to regret it due to said gushiness. _

You can take this as my promise that I am never going to fall in love. Dad's acting like a total prat. Mum- Clara, that is- is nice, but she's, um, a girl? I don't know; sometimes it seems as if they get worked up over the littlest things. Very confusing. I wish I lived at the Burrow; men definitely outnumber the females there. Clara is more than enough for the both of us to handle (not in the fleshy sense, but in the she-has-Dad-whipped-like-cream sense).

I'm not even going to respond to your scar-head crack. That's so below you. You can do better. Bring it on.

The Boy Who Whined

(PS: See, even I can do better than 'scar-head.')

August 17th

Dear Whiny,

Ginny says 'scar-head' sounds a lot better than The Boy Who Whined. I win. Ha, ha.

Then she threatened me (my little sister! Threatening me already! She's growing up!) and said that if I ever told you that, she'd feed me to Marmalade. That cat has killer instincts, I'm telling you. She probably knows already that I've told you. I better be careful.

Percy got a Prefect badge by owl post. Did I tell you? He won't shut up about it. Fred and George hid it when it arrived, but he got suspicious when he didn't get his Hogwarts letter and Mum bullied them into giving it up. He's shaping up to be another Head Boy. The shame of it all.

Anyway, your mum and dad are nice people, even if they get gushy once in a while. At least your parents like each other. My mum and dad are always fighting over things like did the twins get too many detentions this year. Honestly. Of course they didn't. They're brilliant; they hardly ever get caught.

Sorry it took me so long to get a reply back. The twins ordered another Magically Complete Mischief-Maker's Chemistry Set and Errol had to recover. I don't see why they couldn't have waited a few weeks and just bought it in person. Or at least, I didn't, until I noticed it said that to make the purchase you had to be accompanied by an adult.

Just a couple weeks now. I can't wait. Fred and George make Hogwarts sound like Avalon or something. Percy makes it sound like boot camp. I like Fred and George's interpretation better.

Tell your mum and dad hi for me.

From,

Ron

August 20th

Dear Ron,

Mum saw your last letter and decided to give me a lesson in proper letter-writing for when I go away. Just great; I haven't even left the house yet and I'm already being taught. She's also trying to teach me a proper grammar charm, which is a great idea when I don't have a wand! Spectacular. Ooh, apparently I can't just write that by itself. That's interesting. And I left off your address at the top, which you need for the Muggle way of doing things. (Force of habit; Mum does a lot of things the Muggle way. I'm not supposed to begin a sentence with 'and,' either.) It doesn't matter; Errol knows where you live.

One week 'til you get your things in Diagon Alley and two days until I get mine. Dad says I'll like his Hogwarts friend. I just want to know what the guy does. He's not a teacher; Dad would have told me if he was (I think). Then again, my Dad's not always exactly forthcoming with information.

That's all for now,

Harry

August 22nd

Hey Harry,

By the time you get this letter, you'll have already been to London and back. How unfair. Tell me everything. Wait, don't tell me anything. I'll see for myself in a few days.

Your mum's nutters. It's just a fact of life. If she weren't crazy, she wouldn't have married your dad. If she weren't crazy, she would have stayed far, far away from the both of you. You're dangerous.

Did you meet anyone in the alley? More Hogwarts students, I mean. 

Oh! Percy's shouting that he wants to use Errol. Guess I'd better send this off, then.

Ron

August 23rd

Ron,

Diagon Alley was amazing! I mean, I've been there before, but not just before Hogwarts (and, thus, Quidditch season). It's too bad we're not allowed to bring brooms to school this year.

Anyway, I met Dad's friend- his name's Rubeus Hagrid, but everyone calls him Hagrid. He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. The guy is huge_! Massive. He makes your dad, my dad, and all your brothers look tiny. He about wrung my hand right off when we met. _

We went to get my school robes first. There was a boy in there who was talking about Hogwarts like he knew everything about it, and he's only going into first year! I wonder if I'll be very far behind. It doesn't really matter, I guess, I will just have to catch up. Dad won't tell me much about Hogwarts because "You have to experience it for yourself." The most I ever got out of anybody was when Uncle Remus, Uncle Sirius and Aunt Allya told me about a couple of adventures they had saving the world from evil. (But I don't think we can believe them. I mean, they were only kids!) Do you believe this guy, he asked me right off if I was Muggle-born, just like that. I mean, that's kind of rude. He didn't even ask my name and already wanted to know if my parents were "our kind." People like that tick me off. Then he asked me what they do for a living- as if social status is everything! I just told him my parents work at the Ministry and asked about his. It seemed like the only thing I could do. The guy wouldn't tell me about his parents. I wonder why.

Then Hagrid and I got ice cream from Florian Fortescue's. We went to the Owl Emporium (I bought an owl, a white one; she's the one delivering this message with Errol. Her name is Hedwig.) and to Ollivander's, where I got my wand. I don't know if I like Mr. Ollivander. He's kind of… creepy. He remembers every wand he ever sold, though. He remembers my mother's wand- my birth mother, I mean, not Mum (Clara). I wonder who else remembers her. Dad doesn't talk about her much. I wonder if he's forgotten.

We got the rest of the stuff- books, potions supplies, and so on, and then we had to go to Gringotts so he could pick up something for the Headmaster. By the time we got back I was totally zonked. Good thing your owl didn't come until this morning, or else I would've been too knackered to write back when I got it. 

I just read over what I wrote and realized I can't send it. Too much information. This one goes in the bin.

Harry

August 30th

Hi, Harry,

Your last letter was really short. In a bit of a hurry, were you? Or was Diagon Alley a lot more boring than you'd planned?

I tried to get away from Mum for a few minutes to see Knockturn Alley, but no such luck. She's watching me like a hawk. How does she do that, with seven children? She always knows when one of us is up to no good. How unfair.

Hedwig, huh? You're as crazy as my sister. Maybe crazier. Ouch! She bit me! (Hedwig, that is; not Ginny.)

Hope you get this letter before the first. If not, Hedwig will find you at King's Cross, I'm sure.

See you in a couple days,

Ron

September 8th

Dear Mum and Dad,

Hogwarts is cool. How come you never told me about this stuff before?

On the train on the way here, Ron and I were talking in a compartment when two other kids came in, a short, round-faced boy and a girl with very bushy hair and a bossy voice. She said, "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." (Neville turned out to be the round-faced boy.) Then she went on about how she'd tried some spells already and they'd all worked. I thought you weren't supposed to do magic until you got to the school? How did she do that? She must be Muggle-born; she doesn't know any better. 

When we got here, we got sorted (Gryffindor) and then we had a feast. The bossy girl (her name is Hermione Granger, so she's definitely Muggle-born) ended up in Gryffindor too (this was after Ron said, "Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it."). Ron's in Gryffindor too, of course.

My classes are all okay, except for Potions, which is stupid. The teacher for that class, Professor Snape, hates me with a passion. I haven't even done anything yet! I guess he hates all the Gryffindors, though, because he keeps taking off house-points for no reason. He's so unfair!

Hermione has turned out to be a know-it-all. All of the teachers love her except Snape. I guess she needs that, because as Ron sees it, none of the other students like her at all. It seems sort of mean for him to say that.

Fred and George (Ron's older brothers) keep going on about some legacy of marauders that you're involved with. (Their friend Lee has a tarantula. Bleargh, as Ron would say.) How come they get to know and I don't? Spill it, Dad!

Flying lessons start on Thursday. That's with the Slytherins. I hope I'm not too bad at it. You keep saying that I'm a natural and I hope you're right, because the last thing I want to do is make a fool of myself in front of Draco Malfoy. He's a Slytherin and he really, really doesn't like me. He's also always talking about his adventures on his broomstick. He picks on Neville a lot. 

Uh oh. It looks as if I might be late for Astronomy. I have to go!

Harry

September 10th

Dear Harry,

Severus Snape is a professor? Tell me you're kidding. I knew him when I went to Hogwarts. He didn't like Gryffindors then, either. Some things never change. Has he washed his hair yet?

Don't worry about the flying lessons… I'm sure the first one is over by now, anyhow. I'm sure you did your House proud. If not, well, you can't excel at everything.

Try not to judge people by first impressions, Harry. They're not usually very reliable. Allya read your letter and she said you'd better keep your eye on that Hermione or she'll wriggle out of the stereotype you've set her in. Don't ask me what that means. She's so cryptic when she gets all Divination-y.

Have fun trying to control Ron's temper around the Malfoy kid.

Love from Mum and Dad

Hey Sirius, 

You'll never guess who the Potions professor is. Hint: he's a slimy git with an overgrown nose.

James

Prongs,

You have got to be kidding me. That stinkpot, at Hogwarts? And a professor, no less?

Like father, like son.

Sirius

September 11th

Dear Mum and Dad,

Enclosed is a permission form for me to play Quidditch. Apparently flying lessons went better than originally expected. Can I be on the team? Please?

Here is what happened on Thursday:

We were outside with Madam Hooch and the school brooms, which could do with replacing. She chided Malfoy because he'd been holding his broom wrong for years. I thought that was going to be the highlight of my day, but I was wrong. 

Neville flew too high and fell from about twenty feet up, breaking his wrist. Madam Hooch said, "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.'"

Naturally, when they were gone, Malfoy started making fun of Neville. Parvati (she's in Gryffindor) told him to shut up, but Malfoy's stupid girlfriend Pansy just made fun of her for it. Then Malfoy saw Neville's Remembrall- he forgets things a lot, so his gran sent him it to help him remember when he'd forgotten something- anyway, Malfoy picked it up and took off, threatening to throw it into a tree or something. He can fly pretty well. I wish he couldn't. He's such a - I don't know, I'm tempted to use Ron words.

I know I shouldn't have gone after him (Hermione yelled, "No! You'll get us all into trouble," so I don't know what Aunt Allya's on about, she is too a know-it-all goody-goody) but he made me so mad_ and I couldn't just let him lose Neville's Remembrall. I told Malfoy I was going to knock him off his broom if he didn't give it over, but he threw it into the air- I thought it was going to break; it's glass, after all._

But, I caught it about a foot from the ground (don't worry Mum, I could feel what I was doing and I was not in any danger) and got off my broom just in time to hear a yell. "HARRY POTTER!" It was Professor McGonagall. Boy, was she mad. She kept saying things like, "Never, in all my time at Hogwarts," and "How dare you- might have broken your neck." I thought I was going to be expelled.

Instead, she got Oliver Wood out of Charms, he's a fifth-year. He's also the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. I get to be the Seeker! If you sign the form that is. They even ordered me a broom, a scholarship sort of thing I guess for being the youngest player in about a century (or so Wood says).

Please, Mum? Please?

Love from,

Harry

Dear Dad- 

Malfoy tried to get me expelled again that day. I didn't want to tell Mum what happened though, because you know how she worries. He challenged me to a wizard's duel- don't be mad, you'd have accepted if you were me, I know from Fred and George and Uncle Sirius. Only, when Ron (he was my second) and I went to leave, Hermione was in the common room. (She has a pink fuzzy bathrobe. Hilarious.) She followed us out of the common room, trying to get us not to go to the trophy room for the duel. Only, the Fat Lady had gone on a visit and so she couldn't get back in! We found Neville outside, too. He had forgotten the password after his trip to the hospital wing and couldn't get back in. Both of them ended up following us to the trophy room. 

You'll never guess who came in just then. Actually, you might- it was Filch, the janitor, and his cat Mrs. Norris. (Where'd she get her name, anyway? Honestly. Oh, sheesh, I sound like Hermione.) Well, Filch scared Neville, who started to run, tripped, and dragged Ron down with him. They hit a suit of armor and it made such a racket, I thought we'd be expelled for sure. The four of us kept running. We went through a secret passageway behind a tapestry and came out near the Charms classroom. We thought we were safe, as long as we could get back up to the Tower.

Not so. Peeves was right behind us- you know, the poltergeist? He said "Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty," and then yelled "STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" So we ran again. Only this time, when we found a door, it was locked. Lucky that Hermione followed us, I guess (but don't tell Ron I said that) because she knew the charm for unlocking the door. Actually, maybe it wasn't so lucky. We got on the other side and there was a three-headed dog there. I thought I was going to die. When we got out again (which was very, very fast) Peeves and Filch were nowhere in sight. What a relief. And, the Fat Lady was there when we got back to Gryffindor Tower. So, I'm not expelled. But, Hermione is very mad at us because we nearly got her expelled and didn't even notice the trapdoor the dog was standing on. She thinks it's guarding something. She has a point, but I'm not going to tell Ron that- he'll pitch a fit. 

Anyway, don't be mad at me. It's not my fault that Malfoy's a stuff-faced git.

Love,

Harry


	2. Quidditch, Christmas and Erised

Harry Potter Revised 2: Dear Diary

Quidditch, Christmas and Erised

Same disclaimer as before: J. K. R. owns it. 

__

September 17th

Dear Diary,

Harry Potter got his broom this morning at breakfast. It's not like he deserves it, seriously, it's only going to encourage him and that incorrigible Ron Weasley. It was very brave of him to go after Malfoy, especially since he'd never flown before, but honestly- he could have been killed, or worse, expelled-

I don't know why I'm writing this. I've written that before, about a hundred times this past week. They nearly got me_ expelled- imagine that, Hermione Granger, expelled after barely a week. Well, I'm not speaking to them, not that they seem to mind. They could at least pretend to care._

They were bragging to Malfoy about the broom, and he tried to get Harry into trouble again_- as if the teachers didn't know he had a broom! You just can't have something like that at Hogwarts and expect the teachers not to know about it!_

Anyway, Professor Flitwick gave me extra credit in Charms today for my technique, so it's not like I care about what they think, anyway. I have more important things to worry about.

Hermione 

September 25th

Dear sister,

Here's the Hogwarts toilet seat we promised. We took it from the Prefect's bathroom, so it is even a deluxe model, much nicer than the ones we get to sit on. It's a little black, though, sorry, but if you think those burn marks are bad, you should see the rest of the toilet! You can hang it on your wall next to the pictures of Harry you put up last month.

-Gred and Forge 

October 7th

Dear half-wits,

Mum nearly fainted when I tried to hang a toilet seat on my wall. I had to tell her that you'd Transfigured it from an apple core, which is of course a lie. 

Archer and Sierra are going insane without Ron and Harry to blame for their mischief. Actually, that too is a lie. They're blaming Vera and I. I'm counting on you to help us get them back. You owe me one, remember?

Love,

Ginny

P.S. I do not have a picture of Harry on my wall!

October 31st

Dear diary, 

I am in so much trouble. I just lied to a teacher. To a teacher! Harry and Ron must be a bad influence on me. I don't care though, after what we just went through- oh, my hand is still shaking…

Okay. I'll take this one step at a time.

Today in Charms, Professor Flitwick paired Harry with Seamus Finnigan and me with Ron. Neither of us was happy with that, but you won't catch me talking back to a teacher! Anyway, I tried to help him with Wingardium Leviosa- he was saying it all wrong and his wrist-flick was absolutely awful- but he wouldn't have it. It's his own fault if he gets a bad grade in that class. When I was leaving the classroom, I heard him tell Harry, "It's no wonder no one can stand her. She's a nightmare, honestly." Well, they hadn't exactly been my best friends, either! I couldn't help but cry when he said that. What had I ever done to him besides try to help and keep him out of trouble?

So I ran off to the bathroom to have a good cry where nobody would bother me (or so I thought). What I didn't know was that there was a mountain troll on the loose in the school! What I didn't know turned out to be very bad for me, because I got locked in the bathroom with it!

I screamed. Really, really loudly. My throat will be sore for a week.

Then, Harry and Ron came bursting in. Ron distracted it by throwing a pipe at it and yelling (I'm sure it didn't notice the pipe, but it was a good idea) and Harry jumped on it. The troll wouldn't have noticed that either except that when Harry jumped, he shoved his wand up the troll's nose. (You should have seen it when it came out; I am never doing that_ with my wand!) Then Ron did Wingardium Leviosa on the troll's club and dropped it back on the troll's head. (I guess it's good that I helped him learn that, but I'm not going to mention it.) The troll went out like a light, thank goodness. _

This is where it gets a little fuzzy. Some teachers came in then- Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall, I can't remember if there was anyone else- and asked what was going on. I couldn't very well have let Ron and Harry take all the blame, after all they had_ saved me- so I told Professor McGonagall it was my fault and that I'd gone after the troll thinking that I could take care of it myself. (You should have seen the look on Ron's face when I said that.) She took five points from Gryffindor, but she must have given some to Ron and Harry for knocking out a mountain troll after I left. _

I lied to a teacher! If anyone ever finds out, what will they think? Especially Professor McGonagall, I am supposed to be the responsible one. Granted, it wasn't very responsible of me to go off chasing mountain trolls…

At any rate, I have to study for Defense Against the Dark Arts now- maybe I can make up for my points by knowing everything in advance.

Hermione

November 4th

Dear Charlie,

This morning during break, we were outside, minding our own business, just keeping warm 'round one of Hermione's portable fires, when that stupid slimy git Snape walked over to us. He was limping badly (serves him right, whatever it was) and definitely looking to stick his overlarge nose where it didn't belong. Harry had Hermione's copy (well, okay, it's the library's, to be exact) of Quidditch Through the Ages, but Snape took it ("Library books are not to be taken outside the school," and five points from Gryffindor, my arse). He makes me so mad… I hate him almost as much as I hate Malfoy, and that's saying something.

Anyway, Harry left earlier to get his book back from Snape ("Better you than me," was the general feeling Hermione and I were getting), but when he got to the staffroom, only Filch and Snape were there. Harry says one of his legs is all bloody and mangled. He heard Snape say, "Blasted thing, how are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?" He must be trying to get past the three-headed dog that's in the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side. Harry, Hermione, Neville and I ran into it once before, and it was not a pleasant experience. He's guarding something; that evil snotrag must be trying to get past it. Suffice it to say that Harry didn't get his book back.

I have to go to bed now, because the light is keeping Harry awake and he's got a big Quidditch match tomorrow. Wish us luck,

Ron

November 5th

Dear Mum, Dad, Sirius, Allya, Remus, etc.,

I had my first Quidditch match this morning at eleven, just thought you'd like to know. Nothing out of the ordinary. We won, a hundred and seventy points to sixty. I didn't fall off my broom or anything, so don't worry. Hurrah, Gryffindor!

Harry

What's Going On

- Snape is a slimy, evil git ("That doesn't count, Ron!")

__

- Was spotted jinxing Harry's broomstick, nearly causing Harry to fall

- There's a three-headed dog called Fluffy guarding something on the third floor

- Snape has been bitten by said dog, and is presumably trying to get whatever's been hidden

- Fluffy is guarding some collaborative effort of Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel's

("Who's Nicolas Flamel?"

"That's what we have to find out, genius.")

__

November 7th

Dear ickle Lupins,

How's our favorite set of twins? Getting into loads of mischief, we hope, Archer. Watch out for our sister and yours- they have it in for you, we're afraid.

Please accept these water balloons full of bubotuber pus as a reminder of what lies ahead. May the best team win.

-The Weasley Twins

PS- it is absolutely disgraceful, Archer, that you've sided with that Black kid and not with your twin. We are watching you.

November 11th

Dear Gred and Forge,

What do you think you're doing, sending my innocent ten-year-olds bubotuber pus? Watch yourselves; Sirius wasn't amused when he found Sierra covered in the stuff. You have been warned.

-Remus

November 15th

Dear "Moony,"

Bring it on.

-Your Worst Nightmares

(Remus folded the letter with a small smile on his face and put it with the rest of the morning mail. He wondered what Allya would do when she found it. It was always possible that she'd go into a berserk rage and declare war on the Weasley twins, but he doubted it. Subtlety was her style, after all. In the weeks to come, he knew, Fred and George would be plagued by serious dilemmas- anonymous Howlers singing Opera at breakfast; frog spawn in their soup; and, perhaps worst of all, the suspicion planted in Professor Snape that they were the ones who'd written 'I luv Gryffindor' on the back of all of his robes in insoluble red ink. Of course, those were only the beginnings of suggestions; who knew what Sirius would do? Indeed, Remus would have to at least think of doing some of those things himself.

He shook his head as he admitted to himself that he probably wouldn't indulge in anything more than a few childish fantasies of how he'd like to get the two Weasleys. Remus would leave them well enough alone- for the time being.

"Vera, Fox," he called up one set of stairs at Hillside Manor. "You've got owls!"

That brought the twins down surely enough. Though Archer Fox was still clad in his pajamas, his sister was dressed and ready for the day. That was typical; this set of twins was one of polar opposites. Remus supposed it ran in the family.

They sat at the kitchen table to read through their letters- Fox wasn't at all put out that his sister had two letters, for his owl from Sierra was about three times as long as either of hers. Ginny Weasley didn't really care for him much anyway; she was still bitter from the time he'd put spiders in her hair. The good-natured jibes about her clumsiness weren't well-received either. Ginny Weasley had a temper to be reckoned with, and Fox absolutely loved making her mad.

This latest letter from young Sierra Black was more than full of spectacular ideas on how to do it, and he quickly read through it and stuffed it in a pocket. There was no use in getting caught, after all.)

*

__

December 10th

Messrs Fred and George Weasley,

Your detention will take place in the trophy room tonight at ten o'clock. I sincerely hope you've learned your lesson- it is not becoming of Hogwarts students to bewitch snowballs to pester their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, although I very much doubt it.

M. McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Minnie,

We got more than the usual one-sentence detention reminder! You must be growing fond of us. Fred thinks it's because you spend so much time yelling at us, but I know that it's really our secret Weasley charm. Don't feel bad, you're not the first to fall for it and you won't be the last.

George Weasley

PS- Can we clean the dungeon instead? There's nothing more to do in the trophy room; we put Non-Tarnishing charms on them last time.

Weasleys!

Your detention will still take place tonight in the trophy room. You will break the Non-Tarnishing spells, then you will use a Tarnish Charm, and then_ you will polish the trophies. By hand. _

M. McGonagall, 

Deputy Headmistress

December 17th

Dear Mum and Dad,

Is it OK if I stay at Hogwarts for Christmas? Please? Ron has to stay, and I don't want him to be lonely, however unlikely that is with three brothers at the school. He might get expelled for trying to beat up/actually beating up Malfoy. He already got five points taken off, even though he was provoked. Snape's a git.

Love,

Harry

December 18th

Dear Harry,

You may stay at Hogwarts over Christmas break, but we expect you home come Easter time! It's very sweet that you want to keep your friend out of trouble-

(Oh good, thought Harry, it worked)

__

-while his parents are away in Romania. Don't break too many rules,

Love, 

Mum

P.S. I don't want to hear you talk about your teachers that way!

December 21st

Dear Mum and Dad,

Thanks very much for letting me stay here over the break. I'm having lots of fun with Ron eating roasted things like marshmallows that are sure to rot my teeth (according to Hermione, but then she's Muggle-born so she doesn't know about Plaque-Repellent Charms, plus she's not here to scold us as she's gone home for Christmas). We're also plotting the best way to get Malfoy expelled. Any ideas, Dad?

At the moment I am seeking refuge from said Ron, as he has just beat me four games straight at chess. Mercy!

Love,

Harry

PS- just in case this letter's a bit late, Merry Christmas.

December 25th

Dear Ron and Harry,

Merry Christmas! Please pretend these are sugar-free so that my Mum doesn't go totally bonkers and make me listen to a lecture on dental hygiene (again). Did you find out anything about you-know-who? Don't forget to check the library while I'm gone!

Love from

Hermione

Hi, Harry;

Merry Christmas! What's Hogwarts like? I can't wait 'til I get to go next year. It's dull being the only child. Funny; I always thought it would be wonderful.

Romania is boring. Charlie won't let me anywhere near the dragons. It's not fair; that was the whole point_, to go see Charlie and the dragons. _

Anyway, here's a new frame for that mad painting of yours (how is_ Morgana doing, anyway?) since Ron said you broke it again. Oh, and Mum's sent you a sweater and some fudge. I suppose I shouldn't have spoiled the surprise, but what are the odds that you'll open this letter before your presents anyway?_

Ginny

Dear Harry,

Here's a little something to help you continue the family tradition. Your Mum doesn't know I'm sending this to you, so keep it quiet, would you? It should cover two or three people, at least for now, but make sure it doesn't get ripped.

Love,

Dad

Dad,

Is this what I think it is? Wow! Thanks!

Love, Harry

*The cloak is amazing. Filch will never catch me. I could go anywhere… I'm going to the Restricted Section. I need to find Flamel.

Weird. I've never seen Hogwarts this way before. Does it change for you when you're invisible?

The library- okay, the Restricted Section is at the back. There- now which titles… Can't read it, can't read it, can't read it, oh! Is that blood? That's sort of disturbing… Can't read it… how about that one?

OH! That was most definitely the wrong book. That'll bring Filch running. Time to get out of here. 

There he is- I hope I can fit under his arm…

Phew. Okay, now where am I?

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library- Restricted section."

__

That's probably bad. Filch must know a shortcut…

"The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

__

Snape! Oh, flobberworms and Ron words… at least they can't see me. I'd better get up against the wall. Wait! There's an open door; if I can just squeeze through without moving it…

Safe. So now_ where am I?_

Desks, chairs, wastepaper basket- must be an unused classroom. Wait a second; what's that? 

Huh. 'Erised stra ehru oyt cafru oyt on wohsi.' A dyslexic mirror maker? Nah…

Woah! Who is _that? I don't see anyone behind me; only in the mirror. She has eyes like mine… that baby looks sort of like Morgana used to… why is she crying? And who is-_

Oh. 

That's my mother, before she died, and my sister, too; that's Dad, but he looks different, too. I wonder what it would be like if my mother hadn't died. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't know how to play poker, but it would have been worth it…

Her eyes are just like mine, but she really does look a lot more like Morgana does now than anyone else I know. I wish I'd known her. I wish…

How long have I been standing here? Stupid, really; I'll just get myself caught my first night out with the cloak. Splendid idea, Potter, your father would be proud. Never mind, just get back to the Tower before Filch comes back again…

*

December 26th

Dear Ginny,

Thanks for the new frame; Morgana loves it. She's always had a thing for dragons. I wish it were easier to buy gifts from Hogwarts, then I could have gotten you something better than Chocolate Frogs. I suppose I will have to think more in advance next year, right?

As for Morgana, she is having a wonderful time. She can actually jump out of her frame and go visit the other portraits. You should hear the racket she makes when she's with that psycho knight, Sir Cadogan. Oh, and she says to tell you that she's not mad. Don't listen to her though; we all know she's barking.

You won't be bored next year, trust me on that one. I have to go finish an essay for Snape now (that git), so I'd better drag your brother away from his candy and get him to help. He's loads better at Potions than me (maybe because Snape hates me more than him).

Harry

December 27th

Dear Harry,

I've received more than one anonymous tip (if a piece of crystal can be considered anonymous at all) this week to warn you about something called a Mirror of Erised. It's probably best to leave it be for now. I have a feeling it'll be important later. Keep your nose clean, kid.

Love,

Aunt A.

December 28th

Dear Aunt Allya,

You were right. Too bad I didn't get that message a little sooner. Last night Dumbledore caught me in that room with the mirror. He scared the living daylights out of me, actually. He was very cryptic and kept saying things like "Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you." That's very deep, I'm sure, but I have no idea what else he means by that. I'm sure there must be a hidden meaning somewhere. Well, I'll let Hermione figure it out.

The Mirror of Erised actually shows the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. Well, that makes sense I suppose, I just have to make sure nobody ever finds out what I see in there- Ron sees himself as head boy and Quidditch Captain, and I guess that makes an odd sort of sense because it would be hard growing up with five brothers. Anyway, Dumbledore's moving the Mirror somewhere else, which is probably the best thing for me.

Do you really think Dumbledore sees himself with a pair of thick, woolen socks? What a nutter! He must have been kidding, but then I suppose not everyone would want to share what he'd seen…

Thanks for the heads-up, though. I will definitely be more careful in the future. I just hope next time Dumbledore doesn't jump out of the shadows at me. 

Love,

Harry


End file.
